Current Events > U.S. gun sales soar amid pandemic, social unrest, election fears

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DenetraSenegar
10/15/20 11:38:06 PM
#1:


https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-guns-insight-idUSKBN2701G1

(Reuters) - Andreyah Garland, a 44-year-old single mother of three daughters, bought a shotgun in May for protection in the quaint middle-class town of Fishkill, New York. She joined a new and fast-growing local gun club to learn how to shoot.

She has since applied for a pistol permit and constantly hunts for increasingly scarce ammunition making three trips weekly to a local Walmart. Theyre always out, she said.

Like legions of other first-time buyers who are contributing to record sales for the U.S. gun industry this year, Garlands decision to take up arms is driven in part by disturbing news about the coronavirus pandemic, social unrest over police killings of Black people and a potentially contested election that many fear could spark violence.

With everything going on around us, she said, you see a need.

Surges in U.S. firearm sales have in recent decades been predictably driven by events sparking fears of impending gun-control legislation, such as the election of a Democratic president or a spate of mass shootings, federal gun background check data show. Industry experts and academics who study gun ownership say such surges came largely among the gun-industrys core base of white, male and politically conservative customers who often already owned one or multiple guns.

That market is widening this year to include a new rush of first-time buyers, including many women, minorities and politically liberal buyers who once would not have considered gun ownership, according to Reuters interviews with more than a dozen industry experts, academics and gun store owners.

People who dont normally think about firearms are being forced to contemplate something outside their universe, said Dan Eldridge, owner of Maxon Shooters Supplies and Indoor Range in the Chicago suburb of Des Plaines, Illinois.

The number of first-time buyers has skyrocketed this year, according to industry analysts, trade groups and the CEO of major gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson Brands Inc SWBI.O, Mark Peter Smith. In a Sept. 3 conference call with investors, Smith estimated that firearms neophytes accounted for about 40% of sales this year, an estimate he called conservative and double the national average in past years. In a Sept. 2 call, Sportsmans Warehouse Holdings Inc SPWH.O CEO Jon Barker said the company estimated that 5 million people purchased firearms for the first time across the industry in the first seven months of the year, which matched a recent figure put out by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a trade group, based on a national survey of retailers.

In a statement to Reuters, Walmart Inc WMT.N acknowledged supply shortages in outdoor products including hunting but provided no details of its gun and ammunition sales or inventory. We are working with our suppliers to make product available for our customers as quickly as possible, the company said.

Among the first-timers is Bailey Beeken, 61, who lives in Riverdale, New York and describes herself as a white, politically liberal, middle-class woman. She started taking shooting lessons this summer, she said, because whichever way this election goes, it could get really scary, and it could get bloody.

With the pandemic pitting mask-wearers against mask protesters, and police-brutality protests sparking violent street clashes, I just feel like its a powder keg, she said. I want to be armed and dangerous....

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Cornhuskers
10/15/20 11:43:11 PM
#2:


Here's a warning from a veteran.
Almost a dad. My father escaped the death camps of Eastern Europe after WW2. My uncle and mother served in the military here. My oldest brother almost served in the Navy.

Half of my friends are either veterans or know a veteran.

If Trump loses, buy yourself protection. We do not know what will happen. The Second Amendment was made to protect you. Criminals and terrorists will always have guns.
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DenetraSenegar
10/15/20 11:47:25 PM
#3:


Cornhuskers posted...
Here's a warning from a veteran.
Almost a dad. My father escaped the death camps of Eastern Europe after WW2. My uncle and mother served in the military here. My oldest brother almost served in the Navy.

Half of my friends are either veterans or know a veteran.

If Trump loses, buy yourself protection. We do not know what will happen. The Second Amendment was made to protect you. Criminals and terrorists will always have guns.


My grandfather escaped when communists invaded North Korea. Ill be voting for Trump again.
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Cornhuskers
10/15/20 11:51:01 PM
#4:


Buy 1 or 2 handguns, or atleast a long gun, and a few thousand rounds of ammo.
Learn how to shoot, and gun safety courses (online with NRA or GOA).
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Know someone who might vote for Biden but unsure?
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Malcrasternus
10/16/20 12:03:54 AM
#5:


Makes me upset that gun control is one of Biden's campaign promises. The AWB of 1994 did nothing; he knows this, but still wants to push for another.

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DEKMStephens
10/16/20 12:27:24 AM
#6:


It's hip and normal when the public engages in a literal arms race

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hockeybub89
10/16/20 12:30:01 AM
#7:


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IdiotMachine
10/16/20 12:30:08 AM
#8:


How come every time a democrat president nominee has a good chance of winning (or has won), gun sales soar? Democrats don't want to take your guns away. It hasn't happened in the past hundred years, it won't happen.

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Smackems
10/16/20 12:31:32 AM
#9:


hockeybub89 posted...
Nothing wrong with a little protection
What about protection for my little

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hockeybub89
10/16/20 12:31:44 AM
#10:


IdiotMachine posted...
How come every time a democrat president nominee has a good chance of winning (or has won), gun sales soar? Democrats don't want to take your guns away. It hasn't happened in the past hundred years, it won't happen.
Sounds like the story was implying that minorities and the politically liberal are making up a good number of the first time buys this year.

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OwlRammer
10/16/20 12:32:08 AM
#11:


jokes on them, I'm buying drones and some bombs and flamethrowers to attach to them

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DenetraSenegar
10/16/20 12:32:48 AM
#12:


hockeybub89 posted...

Sounds like the story was implying that minorities and the politically liberal are making up a good number of the first time buys this year.


Im not a first time buyer, but Im an Asian American with guns and ammo. Ill be voting for Trump again this year.
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Phynaster
10/16/20 12:33:35 AM
#13:


Shut the fuck up SMAL.

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Rebel
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hockeybub89
10/16/20 12:34:30 AM
#14:


DenetraSenegar posted...
Im not a first time buyer, but Im an Asian American with guns and ammo. Ill be voting for Trump again this year.
Tacos

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Master_Bass
10/16/20 12:36:49 AM
#15:


IdiotMachine posted...
How come every time a democrat president nominee has a good chance of winning (or has won), gun sales soar? Democrats don't want to take your guns away. It hasn't happened in the past hundred years, it won't happen.
It's the usual fear mongering Republicans like to do.

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Malcrasternus
10/16/20 12:52:31 AM
#16:


IdiotMachine posted...
How come every time a democrat president nominee has a good chance of winning (or has won), gun sales soar? Democrats don't want to take your guns away. It hasn't happened in the past hundred years, it won't happen.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Assault_Weapons_Ban

Literally banned guns based on how they looked, and some other arbitrary features. Biden has, on camera, called for mandatory buybacks(confiscation), assault weapons bans, etc. And if people say "he didn't really mean that/he's not really gonna do anything" then I guess we can say the same thing about Trump when he says some real bad shit too, right?

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Cornhuskers
10/16/20 12:59:13 AM
#17:


blah blah i didn't post in the topic to have it hijacked by anti-gunners or 2A conspiracy theorists.

Buy atleast one gun, ammo, and learn how to use it. Keep it safe when you are not at home. Store it securely.

If you ever need to protect yourself, there it is.
Be safe.
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Know someone who might vote for Biden but unsure?
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Middle hope
10/16/20 12:59:19 AM
#18:


Been stocking up on 30-30 winchester.

I can find it in every store I go to. Same with 30-06

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Malcrasternus
10/16/20 1:04:39 AM
#19:


Cornhuskers posted...
ammo,

Yeah good luck right now.

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4/15/1951 - 3/18/2014
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Dark_Spiret
10/16/20 1:06:48 AM
#20:


shame they waited this long. slim pickings and price gouging is what youll have to deal with now which will probably last atleast 12-18 months.
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Middle hope
10/16/20 1:09:24 AM
#21:


Dark_Spiret posted...
shame they waited this long. slim pickings and price gouging is what youll have to deal with now which will probably last atleast 12-18 months.
I bet ammo companies are loving it. Sales through the roof of even the more obscure stuff

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#22
Post #22 was unavailable or deleted.
Cornhuskers
10/16/20 1:51:41 AM
#23:


Malcrasternus posted...


Yeah good luck right now.

China, Europe, Canada, it can be found (ammo).
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Know someone who might vote for Biden but unsure?
Show them this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9NJa1b2hFo
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DenetraSenegar
10/16/20 1:52:39 AM
#24:


How many of these first time gun buyers will become first time Trump voters? ^_^
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Phynaster
10/16/20 11:21:15 AM
#25:


Aaaaand hes gone. Lasted almost a full day SMAL!

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Rebel
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bknight
10/16/20 11:26:42 AM
#26:


all gun stores and manufacturers are secretly wanting for the libs to win, 4 years of Trump really hurt the bottom line
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Tropicalwood
10/16/20 11:32:12 AM
#27:


Malcrasternus posted...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Assault_Weapons_Ban

Literally banned guns based on how they looked, and some other arbitrary features. Biden has, on camera, called for mandatory buybacks(confiscation), assault weapons bans, etc. And if people say "he didn't really mean that/he's not really gonna do anything" then I guess we can say the same thing about Trump when he says some real bad shit too, right?
Senator Joe Biden of Delaware drafted the Senate version of the legislation in cooperation with National Association of Police Organizations

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The_Ivory_Man
10/16/20 11:39:43 AM
#28:


IdiotMachine posted...
How come every time a democrat president nominee has a good chance of winning (or has won), gun sales soar? Democrats don't want to take your guns away. It hasn't happened in the past hundred years, it won't happen.

Have you been paying attention this time around? Democrats have definitely been talking about guns away this cycle, with new bans on firearms and all that.

I have no clue why they are pushing for it so much now.
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bknight
10/16/20 11:41:33 AM
#29:


The_Ivory_Man posted...
Have you been paying attention this time around? Democrats have definitely been talking about guns away this cycle, with new bans on firearms and all that.

I have no clue why they are pushing for it so much now.
If they couldn't get anything done with a popular president who was in charge when a bunch of elementary kids were executed, I doubt they could do anything now. Heck, Trump banning bump stock was probably the most federal gun control we've had since the Federal Assault Weapon Ban, also by Bush 1, a republican.
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ScazarMeltex
10/16/20 11:42:09 AM
#30:


Middle hope posted...
Been stocking up on 30-30 winchester.

Lever Action for the win.

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Voltaire
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CommonJoe
10/16/20 11:42:24 AM
#31:


I have a hatchet, machete, and baseball bat.

I cant trust myself with an off button.

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Jabodie
10/16/20 11:42:51 AM
#32:


how is TC already banned? It was a 3 karma account when he posted this lol

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Phynaster
10/16/20 1:31:00 PM
#33:


Jabodie posted...
how is TC already banned? It was a 3 karma account when he posted this lol
His accounts always last a day or two, if that.

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Rebel
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Cornhuskers
10/17/20 8:58:24 PM
#34:


are we allowed to link to the NRA gun reviews or Gun Owners of America stuff?
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